The British-born businessman was accused of plotting the murder of his wife, Anni Dewani, during their honeymoon in 2010

A court in South Africa's Cape Town has today found British-born businessman Shrien Dewani, who is accused of plotting the murder of his wife Anni during their honeymoon in 2010, not guilty of charges against him. He is now free to return home.

The decision was delivered this morning by Judge Jeanette Traverso, who announced that prosecution arguments had "fallen far below" the level required for a conviction, and Mr Dewani has subsequently been acquitted.

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Anni was shot after the taxi she and Shrien had been travelling in was hijacked in a poverty-stricken district of Cape Town. Shrien was reportedly pushed out of the car, and Anni's body was found the next morning with a gunshot wound to the neck, with all her valuables having been stolen.

Making her ruling, Judge Traverso said that Zola Tongo's accusations that he was paid to carry out the killing were "riddled with contradictions" and "highly debatable". According to reports from the court, Mr Dewani showed "no emotion" as his acquittal was delivered, while his wife's family remained "impassive", with "tearful sighs".

The case against Shrien looked likely to be thrown out last month, after claims that he had been framed were delivered to the court. A fellow prisoner of the taxi driver found guilty of Anni's murder, convict Bernard Mitchell, gave evidence to suggest that Tongo had told him what really happened while they spent time in prison together.

Mitchell told the court that the original plan had to kidnap Anni Dewani, and to ask Shrien for ransom money to release his wife. But during her kidnap, Anni's captors begun arguing when one decided he wanted to rape her. The disagreement reportedly turned into a scuffle, and she was accidentally delivered a fatal shot to her neck.

According to Mitchell, Zola Tongo told him that at this point, they decided to frame Anni's husband by claiming he had orchestrated the entire incident.

This sequence of events has not been verified as being the truth, but what is clear from today's ruling is that there simply isn't enough evidence to convict Shrien of such a serious charge. We hope that at some point in the future, the real truth comes out so that Anni's poor family can finally get the justice, and the peace of mind that they deserve.

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